Isley Brothers ‘This Old Heart of Mine'
This one is about the insane rush of infatuation and the soaring heart crushing bitter experience, therefore it does have an extreme edge to it. But the joy and flight of the chorus – this is the simplest way to convey the simplest message. This is early stages of the affair: sheer exhilaration based on hope, expectation, ignorance. Feeling like this is the point of being alive.
Mott the Hoople, ‘Trudi’s Song’
A beautiful Rock & Roll song about emotional stability. Post-infatuation but you don’t want to kill each other yet. The sweet spot when you balance each other. When you are good for each other. When you are feeling healthy and renewed and the wine bottles and dead cigarettes actually get cleared away at the end of the night. So now you want to be pay tribute to the person who stopped you falling off the edge of the cliff. She may not actually be called Trudi, but that doesn’t matter.
The Beach Boys, ‘Don’t Worry Baby’
But there is always upset and pain to go through. The external world can apply pressures. Sometimes even you two fall out of whack. One of you feels lost and adrift and yet at the heart of it, even now, after the Isley Brothers and Mott the Hoople stage of the relationship, your experience together has created an impulsive, unconscious understanding and tenderness. The rift can be healed, you are no longer untogether. This is the song about that.
Sister Sledge, ‘Easier to Love’
Time makes you weary and the world can apply it pressures, relentlessly. You may not even be out of whack – but just drifting through the day-to-day, with its petty irritations and tiring routine. This can be the most dangerous and difficult stage of all. But with the correct context you can recall what is important. This is the memory of the breeze of the Caribbean beach to remind you not to cut each off from each other. It’s not difficult.
Dion, ‘Born to Be With You’
This is a gorgeous static hymn to the miracle and permanence of true love. This is the statement that applies towards the end – it is always part of the connection, but only becomes clear through time. It has its apotheosis at twilight. The message in this song you should not even have to deliver – it is a mutual telepathy.